rightmyer



May 30, 1933. H. w. RIGHTMYER 1,911,648

DOORLATCH Filed Feb. 20, 19:52 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 30, 1933. H. w. RIGHTMYER DO ORLAT CH Filed Feb. 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

, Patented May so, 1933 iJNrr-Eo STATES rarer: FFICE HOLDEN W. RIGE'I'HLYEB, OF TOI JEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO m AMERICAN SWISS GOE- PANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A. OORPORA'IION OF OHIO noonnn'ron Application filed February 20, 1932. Eerial No. 594,171.

invention relates to door latches, but more particularly to a vehicle door latch of the type in which movement of the inside handle in a non-bolt-retracting direction operates to render the outside handle inoperative.

An object of this invention is to produce a vehicle door latch which is simple in construction, has a relatively small number of parts, is rugged and sturdy, and is adapted to be commercially manufactured at a relatively low cost.-

Another object of the invention is to produm a vehicle door latch in which a rotary handle is provided for the inside of the door, and is arranged vertically from the latch unit. I

Other cheats and advantages of the invention wil hereinafter appear, and, for

-pnrposes of illustration, but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention areehown on the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fire 1 is a side elevation of a latch in whic the inside operatin handle may be positioned at a point direct y above the latch unit, and in which the latch bolt is retracted from the inside through a rack and pinion connection, which also operates upon reverse 32 movement oi; the inside handle to dog the outside roll back; and

Figure 2 is a side elevation of an alternate form in which inter-engaging members operate from the inside of the'door for re- 35 treating the. bolt and dogging the outside The illustrated embodiment of the invention shown in Figaro 1 comprises an elongate back late 10 arranged in upright position and avin a flange 11 at. one side through which r nose 12 of a latch bolt 13 is gmded. A spiral spring 14 engages a lug i6 struck out of the bolt 13, and serves to urge the bolt to latching position. The

" movement of the bolt is guided by opposed in 16 integral withand extending outwardly from the back plate 10. A rivet 17 is mounted on the back plate 10 and extends through an elo ate slot 18 in the bolt for 50 assisting in. guiding the movements thereof.

outside of the door. The roll back is fixed 2 1 in oppose Integral with the bolt 13 is an extension 19 with which a roll back arm 20 is engageable for retracting the latch bolt from the to a bushing 21, which is journaled respectively in a cover plate 22 and the back plate 10. A. squared opening 23 is formed in the bushing 21 to receive anjactuating spindle, on the outer end of which is mounted the usual handle.

in order to retract the latch bolt 13'from the inside of the door, an arm 24 is pivoted at one end on a rivet 2 mounted on the back plate 10, and is provided with an inclined bolt engaging surface 26 at the lower end thereof. Extending inwardly toward the back plate 10 is a lug 27, with which the surface 26 of the arm 24 engages. it will be apparent that upon counter clockwise movement of the arm 24 the surface-2.6 slides over the abutment 27, and thereby causes retraction of the bolt 13 ainst the. force of the s ring 14:. Formed on the arm d relation to the bolt engagin surface. 26 is a lug or '"abutment 28, whici is adapted to be swun into the path of movement of the roll ack 20. A lug or abutment 29 is in'te al with the roll back 20, and the lug 28 is adapted to be swung to a position at one side of the lug 29 to prevent clockwise 'or retracting movement of the roll back.

Formed on one side of the arm 24. ad'a cent its pivotal mounting are teeth 30 with which teeth 31 of a rack bar 32 mesh. it will be observed that the teeth 30 are in this instance arranged on the same side of the arm 24 as the bolt engaging surface 26. The rack bar 32 is ided for up and down movements onthe ack plate 10 by guide straps 33 and opposed vertically spaced lugs 34 integral with the back plate. Teeth 35 are formed in the op osite end of the rack bar 32 in opposed re 'ation with the teeth 31. Meshin with the teeth 35 are teeth 36 of a rotatab e remote control member 37 which is supported between a cover plate 38 and the back plate. Aleaf spring 39 has one end anchored in the cover plate 38, and the.

. 24 is only notch 40 or 41, and is adapted to ride over a surface 42. When in the notch 40 the arm 24 is held against the abutment 27 with the bolt in latching position. Movement of the actuating member 37 in a clockwise direction causes. the end portion of the spring to travel overthe surface 42, but when the spring is in the notch-37 the arm 24 will have been moved 'to the'left into position to dog the 1 roll back- 20. A spindle 43, which is of square cross-section, is adapted to actuate the plate-member 37, it being understood that a handle is mounted on the other end. of thespindle.

- In "0 ration, it will be understood that when t e actuating plate 37 is rotated in a clockwise direction the rack bar 32 ismoved upwardly, and the arm 24 is rocked to the pivght to retract or roll back the bolt 13.

3, en it is desired to render the outside handle inoperative, the actuating plate 37 be prevented by a rotatable member 44 aving a I curved surface 45 adapted to extend into a recess 46 in the latch bolt. When in the sition shown in Figure 1, movement of the It in either direction is revented. This member may be mounted in a housing 46, 1. and ma be actuated in any suitable manner, suc as by key controlled means (not shown). Obviousl rocking movement of the member 44 to t e right moves the blockin surface 45 out of the recess 46, and enab es movement of the latch bolt.

The latch shown in Figure 2 .is similar to that above described, except that the arm rovidedwith two teeth, which mesh direct y with an actuating plate 37.

. 5". The actuating plate 37" is mounted on the back plate 10! in the same manner as the member 37 shown in Fig. 1. The remaining construction of 'the operative parts of the latch is identical with that above described and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary. It is apparent that rocking movement of the actuating plate-37 in :1 clockwise direction operates to retract'the latch bolt, and movement in the opposite ldinletction operates to dog the outsideroll While I have described my latch construction in more or less detail to comply with the requirements of the statute,.it 1 s,neverf theless, desired that this detailed description from the invention as defined in the apbe considered merely as illustrative, and not as limting, and it 1s to be understood that changes in modifications may be made by those skilled in this'art without departing pended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A door latch comprisin a supporting plate, a spring-tensioned latc bolt movable over said plate, a roll back operable from the outside of the door for retracting said bolt, means for retracting saidbolt from the inside of the door, said inside retractin means comprising inter-engagin toothe elements, means for. operating sai elements, means for pivotall mounting one of said elements on said p ate, an arm on said last element engageable with said bolt for retracting same, and an abutment on said arm movable into the path of movement of said roll back upon a supplemental reverse move-. ment of said inside operating means.-

2. door latch comprisin a supporting plate, a spring-tensioned late bolt movable over said plate, a roll back operable from the outside of the door for retracting said bolt, means for retracting sai'd, bolt from the inside of the door, Sflldi inside-retracting means comprising a pair of rotary elements, means providing a toothed operating connection between said elements, means for manually actuating one of said elements, an arm on the other element engageable with said latch bolt for retractin same, and an abutment on said arm movab e into the path of movement of said. roll back for preventing operative movement thereof upon a suplemental revease movement of said actuating means.

3. A door latch comprisin a supporting plate, a spring tensioned latc bolt movable over said plate,a roll back operable from the outside of the door for retracting said bolt means for retractin said bolt from the inside of the door, sai inside-retracting means comprising a pair of rotary elements, means providing a ositive operating connection between sai elements, means for, manually actuatingoneof said elements, an arm on the other element engageable with, said latch bolt for retractin same, and an abutment on said arm movab e into the path I of movement of saidroll back for preventing operative movementthereof upon a sup plemental reverse movement of said actuatmg means;

4. A door latchcomprisin asupportin plate, a spring-tensioned late bolt on sai plate, a roll back operable from the outside of the door for retracting said bolt, a lever pivoted on said plate at one end, an abut-- ment on said bolt with which the free end of said lever is engageable for retracting said bolt, an abutment on said lever op-; posed to the bolt-engagin'g'surface and mov- .1

. plate, a spring-tensioned latch bolt on sai plate, a roll back operable from the outside of the door for retracting said bolt, a lever pivoted on-said plate at one end, an abutment on said bolt with which the free end of said lever is engageable for retracting said bolt, an abutment on said lever opposed to the bolt-engaging surface and movable into the path of movement of said roll back for preventing operative movement thereof, and means including a rotatable toothed operating member for. rockin said lever 1n one direction to retract sai bolt or in the opposite direction to dog said rollback.

6. A door latch comprising a supporting plate, a spring-tensioned latch bolt on said plate, a roll back operable from the outside of the door for retracting said bolt, a lever pivoted on said plate at one end, an abutment on said bolt with which the free end of said lever is engageable for retracting said bolt, an abutment on said lever opposed to the bolt-engaging surface and movable into the path of movement of said roll v nection with saidlever.

back for preventing, o erative movement thereof, means spaced om said belt for retracting same from the inside of the door, said means including a rack and pinion con- 7. A door latch comprising a supporting plate, a spring-tensioned latch bolt on said plate, a roll back operable from the outside of the door for retracting said bolt, a lever pivoted on said plate at one end, an abutment on said bolt with which the free end of said lever is engageable for retractin said bolt, an abutment on said lever oppose to the "bolt-engaging surfaceand movable an operating member pivoted on said back plate to the rear of ,said roll back, an arm projecting downwardly from said member and in position to contact and retract said bolt when said member is oscillated to move said arm to the rearward, a hook on said member below and in front of its pivot and in position to engage said blocking abutment and prevent retracting movement of said roll back when said member is oscillated in the direction to raise said hook, an inside operable device pivoted substantially vertically above said member, andmeans movable in a direction substantially erpendicular to the line of movement of the liolt for connecting said pivoted device and said member for positively oscillatin direction when sai device isoscillated in the opposite direction. In testimony whereof I'have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

HOLDEN W. RI GHTMYER.

into the path of movement of said roll back for preventin operative movement thereof teeth. on sai lever adjacent the pivoted mounting thereof, a vertically disposed rack meshing with said teeth, means for guiding the movements of said rack, a rotatable actuating member ha teeth meshing with said rack, and meal fii tatable member- 8. A door latchicomplrising a back plate,

a spring-tensioned. latc bolt on' said back plate horizontally movable forwardly to latching position and rearwardly to unlatching position and having an upwardly extending operating portion, an outside-operated roll back pivoted on said back plate above said bolt and having an abutment 'extend upward from its pivot and engageable with said bolt portion, a blockin abutment extending downward from sai pivot,

r operating said r5 said member in either 

